Citizens in Russia that have spoken out against the country’s war in Ukraine have had their homes vandalized by pro-Kremlin forces. Graffiti has labeled people inside apartments as “traitors” and have featured messages with the letter “Z” in a pro-Kremlin message in support of the war. An editor of a radio station that had to stop broadcasting due to censorship discovered a pig’s head on his doorstep and an anti-semitic sticker stuck to his door. The vandalism is the next sign of an intimidating atmosphere in Russia for people who consider publicly expressing their anti-war sentiments.
The vandalism has also occurred to activists in addition to journalists. The messages left often reflect the propaganda being used in Russia to justify the war such as proclamations of fighting nazism in Ukraine. A security law threatening people who spread “fake” information about the war with 15 years in prison has been passed by the Russian government. The government sees any opposition to the war effort as a betrayal of the country.
Read more: War in Ukraine: Anti-war Russians intimidated on their doorsteps